A new ranking of America’s top 500 colleges by Forbes reveals that even graduates from low-ranked schools can earn six-figure salaries a decade after graduation. While Ivy League schools like MIT, Princeton, and Harvard dominate the top spots with median 10-year earnings exceeding $120,000, lesser-known institutions such as Marietta College in Ohio, ranked No. 500, report median earnings above $105,000. This data highlights that a prestigious college name is not the only path to high income, according to fortune.com.
The ranking compares median salaries of graduates 10 years after completing their degrees, showing that most schools on the list have median earnings over $90,000. For example, the University of Pennsylvania, ranked fifth, has graduates earning a median of $151,328 after a decade. These figures contrast sharply with the median annual earnings of full-time workers aged 25 to 34 holding only a high school diploma, which stands at $41,800, per the U.S. Department of Education data cited by fortune.com.
This analysis underscores the earnings premium associated with obtaining a college degree, regardless of the institution’s rank. It challenges the perception that only elite colleges guarantee lucrative careers, suggesting that many graduates from lower-ranked schools still achieve substantial financial success. The data also provides a broader perspective on higher education’s value amid ongoing debates about college costs and return on investment.
The ranking was published as the new academic year began, providing timely insights for Gen Z students evaluating the potential financial outcomes of their educational choices. The U.S. Department of Education’s median earnings data for high school graduates serves as a benchmark for comparison in the report by fortune.com.